Symphony Of Red Scarlett
by Dinahmite64
Summary: Astell and Scarlett Fellini resume their lives sailing the skies after the end of The Ancient Father's Cabal and the sealing of Asgard. So how come they wind up dealing with a cabal elite? What is going on at this point?
1. Chapter 1: The Esperanza's Visit

Sisters Of Red Scarlett

It was a calm, peaceful day in the skies. Scarlett was falling asleep at the steering wheel of the Esperanza. She knew she shouldn't as the skies are unpredictable, but she didn't care, because Astell had kept her awake all night, anyways with her constant complaining about how it was cold.

"Spoiled brat..." she murmured.

Astell walked in. "Hey, Scarlett!" she called out joyfully. "I just finished the paint job on Esperanza! Tee hee! It looks great!"

Scarlett was uplifted by this. "Ah! So ye finished! Good! Can I see?"

Astell waved her hand, suggesting that Scarlett follow, and she did.

"Ta-da!" Scarlet called out, pointing to a wall mural of what appeared to be...

"A TEDDY BEAR?!" Scarlett cried out in horror. "The Esperanza is th' Red Death!" She grabbed her hair and started to pull it in panic and fury. "A Teddy Bear, she paints! A Teddy Bear!" She kicked over the bucket of paint, and began to tear apart the wall mural. "I wanted ya to spruce it up 'cause yer an artist, Astell!"

Astell choked a sob. "I'm sorry, Scarlett..." She began to tear up. "I...I thought you'd be happy..."

"Aww, don't start cryin, Astell!" Scarlett consoled her, immediately simmering down. She put her hands on her despaired sister's shoulders. "It woulda looked better as a wall mural... jus' not on the Red Death."

Astell wiped her tears away. "W-would you rather something garish, like a skull?"

"Wit' the crossed bones, yeh." Scarlett said. "Like the Jolly Rogers, eh?"

"Like the Jolly Rogers..." Astell confirmed with anguish in her voice as she picked up another bucket of paint, getting ready to spend 2 more hours on a paint job.

Scarlett went back to her den and decided to read a book titled "Le Vite Delle Donne". She had resumed from her bookmark and read about seven pages into it, when she heard Astell scream. She jumped out f her seat, dropped the book, and ran to the port of the ship, where Astell had been painting, only to observe something truly chilling.

"No..." Scarlett said in shock. "It can't be ye..."

"Yes it is." the female voice called from off-screen. "I'm here to kill you!"

"No!" Astell cried. She had not been expecting this visitor.

"Yeh Strega!" Scarlett insulted her in Italian. "How dare ye come back from the dead?! How DID ye come back from the dead, come ta think o' it?"

"Because I am a necromancer, d-uh!" the woman stepped onto the deck with them and ceased to levitate. "I am Yang Gui the vacant! I know you remember!"

"Vaffanculo!" Scarlett yelled at her, rushing her with her rapier. The sword plunge dhome, but with a problem; Yang Gui is non-physical. The sword did nothing to her.

Astell focused a beam of energy and blasted at Yang Gui, who absorbed the magic hit. Astell smirked as Yang Gui fell overboard.

"I'LL BE BACK FOR YOU, TRAITOR!" Yang Gui cried out as she fell.

"I don't think so." Astell replied with sass in her voice. Scarlett ran up to Astell and hugged her, and decided to tease her by removing her pink beret and giving her a noogie.

"Ouch!" Astell pulled out of Scarlett's grip. "Scarlett, I hate noogies!"

"I hate yer whinin'!" Scarlett replied. "But I'm glad yer okay. That puttana keeps on comin' back, doesn't she? Like a cold sore."

Astell nodded in agreement. "Oh, yeah, Scarlett, don't look at the wall yet, I'm not done painting, obviously!"

Scarlett raised a hand and rolled her eyes and walked away, leaving Astell to paint. She just couldn't shake Yang Gui's mysterious reappearance off her mind, though.

What exactly were they in for?


	2. Chapter 2: Plotting is For Suckers

S. o. R. S.

Yang Gui woke up in a small lake after her encounter with the Fellini sisters. She put her hand on the back of her neck and twisted her head to the side, making a loud _crack_ noise. As the undead, she felt no pain, only nuisance. She stood up and shook some water off her fuchsia coloured robe and looked into the distant sky, watching the Esperanza fading off into the sunrise. She was angry, and felt that she should make Astell pay for turning her back against her!

"That spoiled brat," Yang Gui mumbled. "she thinks I've forgotten about our final encounter in the Nirvana Palace?" She stumbled over, her knee joint twisting backwards, causing her to fall to the floor. She caught herself with her left hand. "Well, I haven't. -Damn it.-I'm going to get her back for betraying an elite of the Cabal."

"_Two_ elites." A man's voice called out.

"Yeah, yeah, _two_ elites..." Yang Gui replied, angered by this contradiction. "Point is, I had her under my manipulation, but that cursed Scarlett had to cause her to snap out of it!"

The screen cuts to the source of the second person- Roswell, "God's Right Hand" of the Ancient Father's Cabal. "That little shit left me to die an agonizing death in the Siberian Base. I called out to her for help, and she_ patronized and called me a weakling_!"

"Serves you right..." Yang Gui mumbled under her breath.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing."

"Well, Yang Gui, you are only being sustained by my machinery, or did you forget?" Roswell reminded her. "I could easily just push this button..." He pulled out a small remote control with one red button with a picture of a skull and crossbones on it. "and your body will explode. you're only alive to carry out my revenge as I see fit."

"You are SO cold!" Yang Gui cried out in protest.

Roswell laughed and turned himself around. "Oh, I can be, my dear Yang Gui. I can be." He twisted his robotic arm open by the elbow, and he put the tiny remote control back into its shelf inside. "Anyways, at least we have one common interest, yes?"

"That's true." Yang Gui admitted, no longer worried about the messy death that may await her, as she was willing to do as he asked. Astell would be dead by her hands, and then Roswell could remove the robotic parts in her skeleton and the fluid-or rather, false blood in her veins and allow her to finally rest in peace, knowing that the little Urchin had paid for her disobedience.

"So, by the way..." Roswell added in. "I take it they know you're still around, hmmm?"

"Yes, I failed to kill her..." Yang Gui admitted, fearfully. "BUT-!" She added in quickly to save herself. "I can always try again, an dtrust me, next time-"

"No, no." Roswell interrupted. "It's alright. The whole point was to instill fear in her. If she knows you're up and about, she may think that the rest of the Cabal is alive, as well. Carmine, Hartmann, Terra, Myself, Kakyo..."

"Yeah, I get it. Scare the little kiddy." Yang Gui smirked. "She's probably crying with fear in Scarlett's arms right now."

"Exactly!" Roswell exclaimed. "This fear will cause paranoia, and eventually, she will be a sitting duck. She will soon be unable to leave her sister's lap, and will eventually become a hinderance for the both of them!"

"And then, since Scarlett will be carrying dead weight around, she will be so much easier to rip into pieces! HA! HA! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!"

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!" Roswell laughed even harder.

"_HA HA HA HA HA HA HA_!" Yang Gui tried to laugh harder.

The two villains were basically trying to out-laugh each other for about thirty minutes...

"Okay, my throat is -cough!- sore! -cough!-" Roswell called out.

"Mine is just fine." Yang Gui declared, thinking herself the winner.

"Because -cough!- you're so -cough!- used to blabbing on and -cough!- on, that is -cough!- doesn't -cough!- phase you!"

Yang Gui took this in offense, turned her head to the side, and sulked. "Hmpf!"

"Anyway, where were we?" Roswell asked, rubbing the back of his head.

"We were plotting Astell's death." Yang Gui reminded.

"Ah, yes!" Roswell beamed up. "Tonight, we raid the Esperanza, rip Scarlett in half, and make Astell watch. Then after Astell cries her eyes out, (not literally, Yang Gui!) we kill her with a blast of my right arm. You, of course, get the pleasure of tearing apart Scarlett."

"Why can't I get Astell?"

Roswell reached for the remote stored in his robotic elbow, and Yang Gui instantly shut up.

"Scarlett should be good enough," Roswell scolded. "you're like a child, Yang Gui! A child who is given a lollipop and demands an ice cream pie topped with chocolate sprinkles with a cherry on top afterwards! Gluttonous pig!"

Yang Gui was recoiled backwards by this insult, but dared not speak against it for her sake. "Sorry." She muttered, sound as unapologetic as her voice could possibly allow.

Roswell took note of this, but continued on with his death speech.

Carlos of the Royal Exploration Agency was listening behind a tree.


	3. Chapter 3: THE Pink Jolly Rodgers

Symphony of Red Scarlett

"Ho!" Scarlett cried. "Astell, hey!"

Astell was murmuring a "Go away..." as Scarlett held her shoulder and shook her from side to side.

"Get yer _culo_ outta bed, Astell!" Scarlett demanded, growing increasingly impatient. "We gotta problem from the Inglese. The Royal Exploration Agency's waitin' fer us in Genoa. I'm gonna dock the Esperanza. No dilly-dallyin'. Get dressed, an' meet us at the airship dock, okay?"

Astell groaned as Scarlett left the room. "How does she wake up so early?" Astell pondered, as she began to brush her hair. She was upset about the whole turn of events. This whole time, she thought that she and her older sister were safe from the Ancient Father's Cabal. She pulled out a new pink dress and slipped it on. She pulled her pink parasol from under her bed and was ready to step out the door, when she realized something very important. "My Beret!"

Scarlett waited outside, pacing with frustration. "How long does it take that ragazza to get ready?!" She kicked a cobblestone. "Managia... it took me only due minuti... but I jus' wore the same dress as usual... an' I didn't sleep 'cause I was too busy pilotin' the ship..."

Astell came running down the ramp and tripped on the end, face-planting on the floor.

"Yeh clumsy-"

"It's okay, Scarlett!" Astell immediately got up, unshaken by the impact. "I just had to find my beret, is all."

"That damn thing, I oughta toss it into the town square's fountain!" Scarlett scolded, crossing her arms and looking at Astell rashly, which made Astell feel like a worthless little shit. She looked down in shame, and they were, at that very instant, confronted by Carlos and Magi of the Royal Exploration Agency.

"Scarlett and Astell, right?" Carlos assumed.

"Buon giorno." Scarlett greeted. "Si, tu sei correte."

"I don't...uh... speak Italian." Carlos announced. "But, Yo Ablo Espanol!"

Magi facepalmed.

Scarlett stuck her elbow in Astell's side. "Say hello," she whispered over.

"Hello..." Astell said, rubbing her side.

"Hi, Astell." Carlos waved. "We remember you, considering it was you who impersonated me and stole files from the Agency..."

"Bygones be bygones, right?" Astell said, twirling her parasol nervously.

"What do ye want?" Scarlett asked rudely. "We don't have all day!"

"Yang Gui wants to kill you." Magi said, getting straight to the point.

"Yer a trifle late on that one, signora." Scarlett said, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes.

"Yes." Astell added. "She attacked us yesterday, but we managed to fight her off."

"That's a nice painting on your airship," Carlos said, distracted. "did Astell paint it?"

"It looks kind of like..." Magi said, moving her wheelchair closer to get a better look. "a pink Jolly Rogers."

It was a skull and crossbones like Scarlett wanted, only it was pink and had a red ribbon.

And here began Scarlett's second temper tantrum. "ASTELL! WHAT DID I TELL YE ABOUT PAINTIN' CUTE STUFF ON MY AIRSHIP?"

"It's called 'Artistic Freedom', or 'Ad Lib'." Astell remarked angrily.

"It's called; 'If ye don't change this by tomorrow afternoon, I'm gonna smash yer head in!'!" Scarlett yelled.

"Calm yourselves, ladies." Carlos pacified. "The people in the town are staring at you."

"Let 'em stare!" Scarlett shouted angrily.

Magi took a deep breath. "I'm sick of this..."

"Anyways," Carlos restated. "Yang Gui wants to kill you. She's still alive. Even after she fell off your airship."

"How do you know she fell of my airship?" Scarlett asked. "Have ye been playin' Parole officer again?"

"No." Magi replied quickly. "Carlos was wandering through the forest in search of Eddie and his friends, and he happened to hear Yang Gui talking with Roswell about getting revenge on you for upstaging them."

"Brother Roswell of the Cabal is still alive, too?!" Astell cried out in fear. "I- I thought-"

"You left him to die in his suicide bombing back at the Siberian base, yes." Magi confirmed. "But apparently, he survived it, and has been harbouring this plot for quite some time. He reanimated Yang Gui with robotic parts. I suggest you two be more cautious this time around. He didn't sound like he was joking. They mean business."

"Madonna della garda!" Scarlett cursed out loud. "Does it ever end with these Cabal dirtbags?!"

"I hope Carmine is still dead... and Hartmann... and Terra..." Astell said anxiously. "If they're still alive, I'm in huge trouble."

"No," Carlos reassured. "it seems that they have no affiliates as of late. It is just Roswell and Yang Gui."

"Thank God."

"But," Magi added. "they probably have a secret weapon of sorts. Be wary, okay?"

"Yeh, yeh." Scarlett agreed half-heartedly. "I'm sure we can handle those idiots. Why, Astell is more powerful than Roswell _an'_ Yang Gui as is."

"True. But only separately." Magi added. "Together, however, they can be deadly."

"She has he rbig sister ta protect her!" Scarlett beamed proudly, withdrawing her sword and lunging at the air. "They try an' hurt my sister, and I'll stab their brains out!"

Astell finally felt important once again. She felt like she was the gem of her sister's eye. There is no way in hell that she would let her down! Not now, not ever! _I'll make you proud of me, Scarlett! I'll become strong, like you! I'll destroy them alongside you! Yes!_ She beamed proudly alongside Scarlett.

"We'll let you two know if we learn anything else, okay?" Carlos promised.

"Okay." Scarlett agreed.

"You take care for now!" Magi warned.

"Ciao." Scarlett waved at them as they left.

She looked at Astell, who was daydreaming and had an expression on her face like a child sitting in front of a plate of Ice cream. She smacked her upside the head.

"Ow!" Astell cried, snapping out of her daze, rubbing her head. "What the hell was _that_ for?!"

"Fer bein' a smartass an' painting a pink Jolly Rodgers on my airship." Scarlett replied, her hands on her hips. "Now, let's get inside."

Astell followed. Annoyed, but still with the passionate glow she had before.


	4. Chapter 4: Crushin' the Caballers

Before they could even think, the Fellini sisters were being blasted by the Ouroborus. Roswell began to laugh triumphantly as Yang Gui blasted them with his **Super Napalm**. The Esperanze performed a barrel roll and dodged it by a hair's length. It was so close, it practically had Astell crapping herself.

"S-sis," Astell asked. "W-when will we attack with your new cannon?"

"Soon! Aspetta!" Scarlett scolded. She turned her eyes back to face Roswell's colossus. "Okay, yeh piece of shit bastard, yeh... taste the Red death!"

And with that, she rammed the Ouroborus with her ship's blade which protrudes from the front. She hit one of the main engines of his ship, sending it almost out of the sky and causing it to lean over on one side.

"Fool!" Roswell cried loudly. "It's useless! Futile!"

He noticed that Yang Gui was hesitating and was trembling with anger.

"Yang Gui!" he called after her angrily. "Quelle est votre problème? What is your problem? Why can't you attack them?"

"I'm trying, but as you can see, our ship is angled greatly off!" Yang Gui yelled back.

"MY TEMPER IS GETTING ANGLED OFF!" Roswell screamed. "HIT THEM! HIT THEM! HIT THEM!"

He turned the Ouroborus so it could face the Esperanza.

"Now, Astell!" Scarlett called out. "Fire!"

Astell aimed their new canon and fired it. She named the attack as she had done it. "**Silver Streak**!"

The beam of silver shot through the Ouroborus, causing it to explode internally. Yang Gui and Roswell ejected themselves from it with no haste, and as misfortune would have it, the wind pushed them onboard the Esperanza.

"Scarlett! I heard a thud!" Astell cried, feeling fear.

"Stay here, Astell!" Scarlett commanded, rushing up out of her chair, pulling out her rapier and running out of the cockpit.

"SCARLETT!" Astell cried, running after her. Shortly, she heard a loud 'zap' sound and saw Scarlett lying on the floor, with smoke emerging from under her. Roswell had blasted her with an 'x' beam from his right mechanical arm.

Astell felt like she was going to cry. her compressed emotions caused a nasty coiling feeling in her stomach, and she wound up gagging slightly, as vomit nearly ran up her throat. A mixture of fear for he rlife, and fear for her older sister's survival and fear as to what was going on combined and unified; creating a nasty feeling within herself.

"Hello, Astell." Roswell said, smiling like a crocodile. "Are you ready to die?"

Yang Gui stepped in, readying a blast of black magic to hit Astell and kill her.

Astell looked down at her injured sister, and looked back at the smug Roswell and the evil Yang Gui.

"It was nice knowing you, Astelll!" Yang Gui mockingly exclaimed, her blast gaining power.

Astell looked at the blast, her sister, and Roswell. Her pent-up emotions became too vicious and powerful for her to handle. Astell didn't know what she had done this next instant, as she whited out.

When she came to, she had noticed that Yang Gui had been burnt to cinders and Roswell's only remaining feature was his mechanical arm lying on the floor. She looked over at Scarlett again, and noticed Scarlett's shocked expression-an expression of fear and bewilderment.

"Scarlett, w-what just happened?" Astell asked, confused and frightened. She looked with horror at the burnt robotic limbs and pieces of Yang Gui 's fuchsia robe.

Scarlett backed away slightly, still bewildered and instinctively afraid.

"Sc-Scarlett..."

"Ye burnt them to cinders!" Scarlett exclaimed, her hands trembling and beads of sweat emeerging from her forehead. She had her arm placed over her stomach, where Roswell had shot her, and Astell could see the pain in her eyes.

"B-but he-he blasted you!" Astell cried angrily. "I don't know what just happened...! I think I... I think I snapped."

"'Snapped' is puttin' it lightly, Astell." Scarlett sat down, collecting herself. "YE WENT BALLISTIC!"

Astell cringed, biting her lower lip. She looked around fearfully and tears streamed down her cheeks.

Scarlett lowered the Esperanza to lowest altitude and parked it in a safe place, just hovering over the water. Together, they gazed at the Ouroborus' sinking remains.

Astell knew that they were in trouble.


	5. Chapter 5: Astell Gets a Tutor

Astell woke up the next morning, but this morning didn't seem normal-it seemed very hollow and empty. Astell felt void and cold. She had no feeling in her chest; no guilt, no anger, no sadnes... _nothing_. She was a hollow shell this day. She was unsure if it was unhealthy, had it been because she was riddled with guilt yesterday, or because she had feared too much for Scarlett? Either way, she felt very indifferent today-like nothing mattered.

She slunk out of bed in her pajamas, and walked on board. There she saw Scarlett at the hull of the ship, gazing at the open ocean. The salty air tasted more like blood to Astell.

"Scarlett..." she called out.

"Ah! Yer finally awake, sleepyhead!" Scarlett teased.

Everything seemed normal.

"Scarlett... remember yesterday?"

"I'm tryin' to forget."

"Please don't."

"..."

"Scarlett," Astell walked over to her, causing her to back away slightly. "I've become emotionless. I just don't feel anything today. No remorse... nothing. Like, I could _kill_ someone and it wouldn't bother me." Her hand began to spark.

"Eh..." Scarlett stammered. "Can ye aim that some other way?"

"Sorry." Astell stopped.

"Maybe it's just a teen thing?" Scarlett proposed. "When I was in my teens. I wa sangry an' depressive all the time."

"But I'm not." Astell corrected. "I feel nothing."

"It's 'cause ye were so stressed yesterday." Scarlett reassured. "Yer breakdown caused ye to, uh... _recess_." She flapped her hands three times in a reassuring manner. "It's nothin' serious."

"I hope so."

"I know so." Scarlett replied. "Now gimme a hug, ye fool!"

Astell fell into Scarlett, and hugged her. She buried her face in her, feeling confused and indifferent.

"I just hope we don't go to jail fer killin' those goons." Scarlett looked into the sky, and rubbed the back of Astell's head.

They pulled the Esperanza to the Dock in London, where they had repairs done. A man offered to sell her customizable parts, but Scarlett refuted, saying "My ship's perfect. It don't need it."

Astell shook her head, considering what the ship had been through yesterday.

From the corner of Astell's eye, she caught glimpse of Eddie, Pad, Melody, and Fiona in the background. "Scarlett! Look!" She tugged Scarlett's dress and pointed.

"Heh." Scarlett laughed nervously. She then grabbed Astell and rushed behind her ship, out of their plain of sight.

"Why are we..."

"What if they're here to get us in trouble?" Scarlett stated, obviously paranoid. From the distance, they heard Eddie exclaim. "Hey, it's the Esperanza!"

Then they heard Melody. "That means that tramp Scarlett is here."

"I'LL SHOW YE A TRAMP!" Scarlett cried, rushing out, dropping Astell on her ass .

"EEK!" Melody called out in surprise as a rapier knicked her arm.

"Scarlett! There you are!" Pad called out. "We've been looking for you and Astell!"

"W-why...?" Scarlett asked, nervously sheathing her rapier. She suspected that it had to do with what Astell had done yesterday.

"We heard about Astell." Eddie began. "A friend of ours was piloting and he saw you two sink the Ouroborus out of the sky. He also notified us of Astell's powerful blast that tore Roswell and Yang Gui to shreds."

_We're screwed._ Scarlett thought to herself, embracing a future battle.

"We want to know if you know anything about hw they survived." Fiona offered kinder words.

"No clue." Scarlett replied honestly. "All we know is that they attacked us."

"...And that they wanted revenge for my betrayal." Astell added in as she approached the gorup. "They're the only members of the Ancient Father's Cabal that we ran into. Hopefully they're the only ones who survived."

"Well," Melody admitted. "I wouldn't mind putting Hartmann in his place a second time."

"Melody!" Pad scolded. "Ya shouldn't _wanna_ kill someone! That's just... _wrong_."

Astell flinched. She felt her heart skip a beat at these words. She recalled her momentary desire to slaughter Yang Gui and Roswell and how good it felt. Then how afraid she felt afterwards and the guilt she went to bed with. She began to feel again. She felt a regret so deep it surpassed the Marianna Trench. It caused her to recoil slightly.

"Astell, are you okay?" Asked a concerned Fiona.

"I-I'm fine..." she said, tears threatening to leave her eye sockets.

"You look like you're about to cry." Melody observed. "Why not just let it out?"

"Hey, why not do like Melody an' act tough?" Pad said, throwing a shot at Melody. "An' while yer at it, run into the next room over an' cry."

"Go to hell." Melody spat at Pad.

Eddie shook his head. "Astell..." he began, concerned. "you feel remorse, don't you?"

"Like hell I do!" Astell denied, taking Pad's former suggestion. "_They_ deserved it! _They_ attacked _us_!" She jabbed the air at the emphasized words and her voice began to squeak. "Is it _MY_ fault that I tried to protect Scarlett?! Is it _MY_ fault that they came after me?! Is it _MY_ fault I can't control these powers the cabal _GAVE ME_?!"

"Maybe you should." melody proposed.

"Huh?"

"I said, 'Maybe you should.''' Melody restated. "Look, when I was first learning how to control my magic, I would accidentally set houses on fire! Every time I got mad and threw a tantrum, I would be surrounded with an aura of purplish electrical darkness. Very dangerous."

"We've seen it, Melody." Eddie recalled when they had first returned from the Eterna Mines to Merveille Village and saw Hartmann kill the Elder and how Melody flew off the handle.

"I can believe the rest, too." Pad said snidely.

"Meatheads." Melody crossed her arms and snuffed.

"I get the point Melody is trying to make." Fiona announced. "She's willing to train you how to use your powers."

"HEY!" Melody exclaimed in denial. "When did I say that?! I just said-"

Fiona winked at her.

Melody flinched. "Oh... fine."

Scarlett place her hands on Melody's witch hat. "Thank ye, Melody. I hate ye a little less now."

"Good for me..." Melody replied unenthusiastically.

Pad was holding in his laughter.

"Thank you! Oh, THANK YOU, Melody!" Astell cried, throwing her arms around Melody's neck, hugging her.

"Uh... you're wel...come...?" Melody said, feeling embarassed. "Look, can you... uh..." she began to struggle in Astell's grip. "I'm not good at this kind of stuff... do you... mind...?"

The people around began to laugh at the red-faced Melody.


	6. Chapter 6: The Melody of Triumph

"Okay, Astell..." Melody began, poising her magic rod at her. "I'm gonna show an example of a spell, and I want you to deflect it. Remember what I showed you yesterday."

"Uh... right!" Astell nodded, her mind racing to find what it was that Melody had taught her yesterday.

Melody shot a stern look at Astell, and began to twirl her rod like a baton and spun herself around, crying out a booming "Flanma!", with her wand releasing what appeared to be a streaking fireball! Right at Astell!

It had almost seemed like a Deja-vu for Astell, as she recounted her battle against the terrific teenagers in the Nirvana Palace ages ago. Before she could even open her mouth or fathom what was exactly going on, she felt the harsh heat and scalding pain of the blast of fire as it tore at her clothes and deep into her flesh, kissing her forearms, and feasting on her stomach.

Melody blew the smoke off her rod, and waited for the smoke to clear where Astell was standing.

When the smoke cleared, she saw Astell still standing, but horribly injured.

Scarlett, who stood on the sidelines watching cupped her hands in front of her face so as not to see the gruesome sight. At the same moment, Fiona, who spectated beside Scarlett, rushed to Astell's aid, and healed her scalding wounds.

Melody shook her head. "It was 'Magic Shell', you blockhead!" She called out mockingly. "My God, I figured that out on my own _without_ a tutor!"

Astell looked at Melody with pleading eyes.

"One more time, Astell, and that's _it_!" Scarlett demanded. "I don't wanna see ye gettin' hurt by this _piccola strega_!"

"Excuse me?" Melody asked, knowing that it was an insult instinctively.

"_Niente_." Scarlett replied.

Astell giggled, as she understood what Scarlett called Melody.

"I can play that game, too, you know!" Melody remarked, and began in spite. "_Nous sommes tous fatigués avec vous, madame putain! Maudit Vache sale!_"

"Melody, _please_." Fiona pleaded, sensing the rash tone in Melody's French accent.

"Sheeee-eeeesh!" Melody threw her hands in the air angrily.

"C-can we just try again?" Astell asked, nervously.

"Yes, just hold on." Melody told her.

After getting back into their safe positions, Scarlett and Fiona observed Melody taking her battle stance. _Why would she be doing that?_ Fiona asked herself. _I-is this a legitimate battle now?_

Melody had a wicked smirk. Astell took note of this and shivered. "M-Melody...?" she asked. "Wh-why are you readying yourself for a battle? T-this is just a practice thing, right?"

"Well, it _was_," she began. "but Scarlett pissed me off, and now I need to vent a little. I figured this would be a constructive way to teach you how to control your power; an actual battle against one of, if not **_the_** most powerful mage in the world!"

Scarlett scoffed. "Ye?"

"Oh, go ahead, Scarlett! Make fun!" Melody replied angrily. "It's on your sister, you know that, right?"

"Shut _UP_, Scarlett!" Astell cried, in a panic. "Don't make it any worse!"

"What can she do?" Scarlett asked. "_Lei e una piccola strega. Non e una problema_."

Melody said nothing this time. Instead, red-faced, she blasted a bolt of green lightning straight for Astell, who panicked and jumped out of the way. Astell summoned a white ball of light and tossed it at Melody, who deflected it with her Magic Shell. It ricochet and hit Astell, who slid backwards slightly.

"Ah!" Astell realized. "THAT'S the spell! Okay!" She stood firm on the ground, readying for Melody's next attack.

Melody adhered to Astell's expectations and unleashed one of her more powerful spells; Dark Ray. She again baton-twirled her rod, and unleashed a tempest of shadow at Astell. Astell cast Magic Shell successfully. A wall of light formed in front and around her, deflecting the young witch's black energy back at her, casting Melody to the ground.

Scarlett threw her fist into the air, crying out in triumph.

Fiona rushed over to help her comrade.

Melody was coughing and wheezing as Fiona helped her to her feet. "Th-thanks, Fiona..."

Astell was brimming with happiness. "Wow, I can't believe I did it!"

"Good for you." Melody said, unimpressed. "You got lucky. Hooray." She dusted her dress off. "Look, if you could do it once, good for you. I'd like to see you do it _again_. Then I'd be impressed slightly."

"Ah, _vaffanculo_." Scarlett exclaimed, thrusting her left forearm upwards with her right hand placed on the upper arm.

"_Vas shier_." Melody replied.

Fiona shook her head. "Having these two together in the same area spells for chaos."

Astell began to laugh at the folly of her sister and Melody.

Scarlett was repulsed. "Astell, stop yer damned cackling an' show this li'l witch just how wrong she really is!"

Astell stopped laughing and looked at Melody, who was raring to go at it once more.

"Ok."


	7. Chapter 7: Up, Up and Away

It was a hot day, but then again, wasn't it always in Genoa? Scarlett had watched Astell dueling against Melody once again in another one of their training sessions, and the floor was wet with tar-tar created through the mixture of magic blasts and smoldering heat on the concrete floor. She was kissed by a searing wind as it howled by, blowing beach sand into the air, dancing around the leaves of Palm trees. She took her eyes off her nearly mutilated sister and gazed at boats entering the harbour and airships heading to the dock. It was a lovely sight.

"Scarlett!" Astell cried, annoyingly. "I thought you said you were gonna watch!"

"I'm sorry, Astell..." Scarlett begun, rubbing the back of her head. "I just didn't wanna see ye get yer ass smeared across the sand anymore."

"Oh, poo on you, then!" Astell cried defiantly, hurling a fireball at her.

"Well!" Scarlett emphasized. "Now that ye're learnin' ta control it, yeh think ye can act like that? Madonn'..."

Melody spun her rod around and released a jolt of electricity at Astell, cracking against her back.

Astell cried in pain as she scraped along the scalding sand, leaving some burns on her arm.

"Hey," Melody began, walking towards her condescendingly. "didn't I warn you not to take your eyes off the fight? Huh?"

Astell sneered angrily.

"That pisses me off." Melody said, readying for another attack.

This time, though, she was caught by surprise as a quick dagger of ice shot straight from Astell's hand like a streaking blue bullet and plunged itself into Melody's gut.

Melody clenched her teeth together and seethed in pain. She pulled it out manually, blood leaking from the open wound, ice shards falling out with it. "Good... shot..."

She pulled out an elixir of sorts and drank it. "It's a good thing I learned how to create these..." she said, her wound sealing up in record time. She pulled out a second one from her dress pocket and threw it over to Astell. "Catch!"

Astell much obliged and caught the flying closed flask, opened it, and gazed carefully at the liquid before drinking it. Even taking the liberty of putting a silver spoon in it.

"You think it's poisonous?" Melody asked with a laugh. "I just drank one. Gimme a break!"

"Yer a _piccola strega_." Scarlett said. "Who wants to trust yeh?"

"AGAIN with the Italian insults!" Melody bitched at Scarlett. "Why don't you stop with that shit already?!" She flailed her arms around angrily. "WHAT THE HELL IS A 'PICCOLA STREGA', ANYWAY?!"

"A little witch." Astell replied, translating.

"Oh." Melody calmed down instantly. "Well, cut out 'little', and I could live with that."

Scarlett shrugged, but smirked.

"Hey, Featherbrain!" Pad called out. "You know that in an hour we've gotta leave, right? Mr. Evans sent us a request to go ta Machu Pichu to find some ancient artifact. "

"Yeah, yeah!" Melody called back with a hiss. "Oh, and who are you calling 'Featherbrain', meathead?!"

Before Pad could initiate an even bigger argument, Eddie pulled him into the Inn by the back of his fur collar.

He had hoped these two could stop fighting amongst each other and work together so they could finally be like any other normal adventuring party.

Astell looked at Melody sadly. "But... but, I was learning so much, Melody!"

"Hey," Melody replied. "don't get all wishy-washy. I can't stand that stuff. Besides, you'll learn if you keep on practicing. Practice makes perfect, after all."

"Then you _really_ need to practice more." Pad threw a shot at her from the window of the Inn.

Melody quickly responded by picking up a rock and throwing it at Pad's face. He ducked, and it clobbered Fiona, who then emitted a loud shriek.

Melody covered her mouth with both hands and flinched backwards. "Awww, shit..." She then ran at the Inn, yelling for Pad. "ARE YOU HAPPY NOW, YOU BRUTE?!"

Pad stuck his tongue out and pulled his lower eyelid down childishly

Scarlett face-palmed and shook her head, looking downwards in shame.

Astell looked away with disappointment.

Soon, as an hour passed, the four gallant heroes charged off into the sky on their airship, Astell and Scarlett waving their handkerchiefs at them on their departure.

A strange shadowy figure gazed at the sisters from a dark alley.


	8. Chapter 8: Why Hide Your Troubles?

Astell kept gazing out the window of their house.

"God, it's been so long since we been here!" Scarlett exclaimed. "There're webs behind th' couch an' the Cat is dead."

"Did you at least feed Lucia?" Astell asked, looking at Scarlett unamused.

"Yeah, the ol' Wyvern's eaten."

"What did you feed her?" Astell asked.

"Th' Cat." Scarlett replied nonchalantly, washing up some plates.

Astell shook her head very slowly with belligerent eyes.

She then saw Scarlett putting the plates on the table.

"Uh, how long are we gonna stay?" She asked, curiously.

"Not too long." Scarlett began, retrieving the silverware. "Ye can bet yer ass I'm not gonna be on the ground fer long."

"You-" Astell began. "you're not gonna leave me alone again, are you? I-I mean, that's how the Cabal got to me in the first place..."

"They're dead now." Scarlett said, reassuringly. "An' besides, I'm gonna take ye with me, of course."

"Phew."

"Now..." Scarlett said, walking up to the rotary phone. "Ye want Pizza?"

"Sure."

"All dressed wit' olives?"

"Yeah."

"Luciano's PIzzeria?"

"Why not?"

"Fa bene." She began to spin the number.

Astell looked out the window, and it was raining. She remembered how when she and Scarlett were younger, she had run away from home and was lost out in the rain and how Scarlett found her lying under a park bench crying and brought her back home.

She smiled, revisiting these lost memories of her sister which the Cabal had erased. She was told that she would never fully recover, but she doubted that was true.

She watched intently as the raindrops pelted the window, forming a beautiful mirage of droplets and streaks. She then noticed something out of the ordinary-a shadowy figure standing outside the house, beckoning her to come. She felt an awful familiar chill run down her spine. She looked over at Scarlett, whom was talking to the pizza man in Italian. She looked back at the window and the mysterious figure had disappeared.

Scarlett hung up the phone and leaned against the wall and began to rant. "Ah, _Madonn' della garda_! Do I gotta speak in English so the _bacciogaluto_ will understand a word I'm saying?!"

She sat at the table. "I mean, really! I don't think he speaks Italian well at all, ye know?"

"Which guy was it who picked up the phone this time?" Astell asked curiously.

"It was Bob."

"Ah, that makes sense." Astell deduced. "Maybe I should order next time. I speak English really well, as well as Italian..."

"Ah, _mannaggia_!" Scarlett scolded, throwing her hands around angrily. "If ye wanna make the call, ye can pay 'im when he comes, too! Ye want that?"

Astell quickly shook her head.

"Then shut up, ye nut." Scarlett said, giving her a noogie.

Astell pulled away from the noogie furiously.

"H'OH!" Scarlett yelled out in surprise. "What's wit' the attitude, Astell?"

"I'm nervous, okay?!" Astell yelled back in panic.

"Why?"

"Because! I saw this weird figure out the window before! I-I think he was watching us."

"Eh..." Scarlett flipped her hand. "Probably just th' trees, y'know? They can look like people sometimes."

"No!" Astell replied. "It was a man in a coat! You tell me a tree that looks like that!"

"Well," Scarlett began, with laughter. "there's the Uomo della fororetta..."

"Shut up." Astell said, crossing her arms and looking away. "That's not funny!"

"Lighten up." Scarlett said, putting her hand on her distraught sister's shoulder. "Ye were prob'ly seein' things. Remember, th' Cabal _did_ screw yer mind up pretty badly."

"Uh, don't remind me." Astell said.

"Speakin' of..." Scarlett began. "can ye remember anythin' from before th' Cabal wiped yer memory?"

"I remember that stormy night when we were kids."

"When ye took off an' mamma asked me to find ye?" Scarlett continued.

"Yeah, yeah, that's it!" Astell cried out with joy. "Under the park bench! You found me under the park bench! It was raining like crazy!"

The doorbell rang.

"_Merda_, that pizza guy is fast!" Scarlett exclaimed, as she went to answer the door and kick the pizza guy off their property.

"Why would you _do_ that?!" Astell cried, as Scarlett brought the box over to the table.

"Years o' practice..." Scarlett said. "Besides, if he calls th' cops it won't matter. We'll be on th' ship by tomorrow anyways."

Astell nodded. Yes, it was true.

"Oh, an' by the way..." Scarlett explained as she pulled three slices out of the box and placed them sloppily on her plate. "it was a tree ye were sittin' under when I found ye that night."

"DAMN IT ALL!" Astell cried, banging her head against the table. "IF I CAN'T REMEMBER MY PAST, THE CABAL _STILL_ OWNS ME!"

"Do ye think that mysterious figure could be one of 'em?"

"I don't know anymore." Astell cried, gripping the sides of her head.

"Why didn't ye tell Melody an' the others about this sooner? Maybe they coulda helped yeh."

"No, they can't!" Astell cried. "Nobody can! I'm beyond help!"

"If I ever catch one o' these cunts near ye again, I'll slaughter 'em meself!" Scarlett said, consoling Astell. "Now shut up an' eat yer pizza."

Astell calmed down as she looked down at the delicious triangular slice of pizza dripping with cheese, slathered in sauce, and full of mushrooms, pepperoni, green peppers and olives. She picked it up, sauce running down the bottom of her hand, and took a bite, sauce dripping down her chin like the blood she had lost in the past few weeks.

"Better, eh?"

Astell stayed quiet.

"What, ye want a Snickers, too?" Scarlett said sarcastically.

"A what?"

"I have no idea what I just said." Scarlet said, confused. "Pretend I said nothin'."

"That's easy." Astell replied sarcastically, leading Scarlett to give her another noogie in a headlock.

The rain hit the ground outside, and their window was the only light in the area. The shadowy figure continued to stare straight at it.

"Yes, yes." it said. "Enjoy your time now, because tomorrow, we'll destroy everything together."


	9. Chapter 9: Exit Astell

As dawn broke, the sisters made a break for the Esperanza, checking around them as they ran to avoid either police or the shadowy figure.

Scarlett laughed victoriously as she grabbed a hold of the steering wheel and Astell plopped herself down on the seat beside her and joned in.

"Those _stronzi_ will never catch us now!" Scarlett cried proudly. "We are _way_ too fast, eh, Astell?"

"Heh, yeah..."

"Stupid police." Scarlett stated.

"Huh?" Astell turned to her. "Not the shadowy guy?"

"No, no, no." Scarlett waved her hand to the surface as they lifted higher and higher off the ground. "Fer all we know, he's just a parta yer imagination."

Astell pouted and crossed her arms.

"Ah, you-!" Scarlett snapped at her. "Will ye just relax? I thought ye were startin' to control yer powers, an' one problem was over wit'. Now, why don't ye blast the shadow guy next time ye see him?"

"I'm afraid of going crazy again."

"Ye didn't go crazy against Melody!"

"Yeah, but that was different..." Astell contemplated. "She wasn't trying to kill me like Yang Gui and Roswell were."

"Yeah?" Scarlett goaded. "Go on."

"So, if this person tries to attack us, I might go crazy again."

"Then good. The stronzo will deserve it!" Scarlett said, intolerant.

Astell looked away anxiously and rest her left hand on her right shoulder. "W-what if I end up killing you, too?"

Scarlett flinched, and her sly smile slowly begun to disappear. "Then ye end up killing me, too."

"But I don't want to."

"We don't always want to do things, but sometimes they just happen." Scarlett replied, gazing coldly at the white, puffy clouds rolling by.

Astell felt herself choke down a sob. This is exactly what she feared; killing her sister, her only surviving family member. Yang Gui had nearly done this years ago when Scarlett had absorbed her hideous blast in the place of Astell, rendering her temporarily immobile.

"Sometimes they don't happen, either." Scarlett continued, still gazing out to the sky. Astell stopped thinking and listened. "It just depends whether yer lucky or not. It's like Russian Roulette, ye know?"

Astell nodded nervously. She was hoping that if such an occasion would occur, she would get a blank shot.

The Esperanza sailed through the mesmerizing horizon, and eventually lowered its altitude and docked in Madrid, Spain.

"Why are we going to Spain, Scarlett?" Astell asked, curiously.

"Because," Scarlett began. "I heard that they got a new attachable rapier-like blade ye can put on yer ships. I wanna check it out, an' don't try an' stop me!"

"Can you afford it?" Astell asked.

"_Si, señorita_." Scarlett said jokingly, mimicking a Spanish accent, and then casually walking up to the mechanic who sells customizable parts. "Uh..._ scusi_, hey, um... I want to buy a sky rapier."

"Qué?" said the man, confused at her request.

Scarlett immediately got frustrated. She didn't know how to speak Spanish, but she knew Italian, and she was hoping it would be similar enough for him to catch what she was trying to say. "Posso acquistare lo stocco attaccabile per la mia nave?"

The man looked at her bewildered.

Astell stood at safe distance and watched sparks fly from her older sister, who was trying to speak to a man who could not comprehend her. She put her hand on her forehead and shook her head in embarrassment.

Suddenly, Astell felt the cold chill go down her spine once again. This time, she whipped around and the shadowy figure was directly behind her in daylight! He wore a black and purple robe crested with red gems and dark blue hem stitches. He grabbed Astell, causing her to scream, and Scarlett to whirl around and unsheathe her rapier.

"Yeh bastard!" she cried out. "Unhand me sister!"

The wicked figure smirked, as he noticed that Scarlett was the only one bold enough to face him. The other people in the area either ran away, or were hiding behind barrels or any other objects in the dock they could find.

The wicked figure gripped Astell extremely hard, to the point where blood was dripping down her arm.

Scarlett had a wild, vicious look in her eyes-the look which her victims had seen before meeting their untimely ends.

"You cannot do anything." he said. "The four meddlesome fools could not stop me that time, so do you really think you can now?"

"Si, bastardo. Si." Scarlett said, as she rushed forward, her sword a straight dart extending from her hand like the stinger of a bee ready to plunge its way through his hide.

He maneuvered out of the way, Astell still in hand.

Scarlett finished her speeding lunge, only to be knocked back by a ball of shadow emitted by the robed figure's right hand.

Astell released a blast of heated energy, searing the villain's robes and breaking free of his grip. She rushed to see if Scarlett was okay.

Scarlett got up on one knee, and put her arm around Astell, who gripped her and helped her back on her feet.

The robed man's identity was finally revealed. He had one eye, brown hair, a beard and moustache, and a very daring look in his eye and angry furrows in his brow.

Astell's blood went cold. "No... way..."

"Who is he, Astell?" Scarlett asked, unsure herself as she had never seen this man before.

"The leading mastermind behind the Ancient Father's Cabal-the ressurrector of Metheus-the man who initiated my brainwashing!" Astell cried out in panic.

Scarlett looked at the man furiously. "What in the hell is goin' on here?!"

"Emperor Terra!" Astell squeaked out of her throat. "H-how did-when-but they-you were sealed-Asgard-huh?"

"The gate was thrown into the portal by the young fool, Brown." he stated. "They had thought me dead, but I was not.I had emerged from the rubble of the Tower of the Sun from in between two converging rocks. Metheus was defeated, but I..." he looked up to the sky. "have surpassed even him. I harnessed the power of Asgard on my way here, and I need a..." he looked at Astell. "partner to help me destroy everything in this world."

"I won't do it!" Astell cried, defiantly.

"She won't do it!" Scarlett parroted in agreement.

"Perhaps you need some... convincing." Terra said, raising his hand. From his palm opened an eye, which had begun to glow with a red hue.

"_E la malocchio_!" Scarlett cried.

Astell grabbed her head and tossed and turned in one place, confused and in pain. "Ugh... no... I... I..."

Suddenly, she had a flash of her battle against Melody, where she had deflected Melody's blast with **Magic Shell**. Without a second's thought she called out the spell, deflecting Terra's spell off into a different direction.

"NO!" Terra cried in anger. Scarlett sought out this opportunity and drove her rapier into the center of his chest, piercing his blackened heart. Strangely enough, though, there was no blood.

"Huh...?"

He swatted Scarlett, sending her flying, scraping against the floor of the Airship dock. He pulled her rapier out of his chest and threw it towards her, and a stray blast of light hit it and deflected it into the wall before it could do any harm.

Astell stood on the other side, with smoke leaving her hand.

Terra stared into Astell's bold, defensive, brimming blue eyes and saw what he was unsure of to be fury, but rather, protective love. He knew now that Astell was very fragile about the welfare of members of her family. An exploitable weakness.

He cast a spell over Scarlett, sealing her in a small magic prison.

Before Astell even had time to react, he shook his finger. "Ah, ah, ah. I wouldn't do that if I were you..."

Astell cringed.

"Unless, of course, you'd like to see this... feisty character... die."

Astell flinched and felt goosebumps forming on her arms. _He's bluffing!_ she thought, as she stepped forward.

Terra responded by causing Scarlett to cringe and grit her teeth in pain from within the small prison.

He looked at Astell and gave his worst crocodile smile.

Blackmail!" Astell cried. "That is so unfair!"

"Life is unfair." Terra stated. "Now..." he extended his hand to her. "unless you want her to die, you'll take my hand... and follow me."

Astell was agitated by these circumstances. However, upon seeing the magic prison, she couldn't help but begin to worry. _Maybe I can go along with his plan... just until I can free Scarlett._

Astell nodded and took his hand.

"Excellent." Terra decreed. He cast a spell, causing the magic prison to open up, spilling Scarlett to the floor. But before either sisters could do anything, Terra warped himself and Astell away.

Scarlett cried out after her sister, but was too late. Before she had the time to get up on her knees again, he took Astell away like a morning gale along a dusty terrain.

Scarlett pounded her fist into the floor. "NO! Not again!" She pounded it a second time. "Astell! How could I be so careless a second time?! YEH BASTARDS!" She hit her fist repeatedly against the floor to mourn her stupidity and feebleness.

She gazed down at the floor in weeping despair, as the passersby looked on.


End file.
